LA Fitness has flexed its muscle by opening a second Livonia gym and ushering in some new amenities that can't be found at any of the company's other Michigan fitness centers.

LA Fitness also dealt a knockout punch to a longtime community eyesore by building its new 37,000-square-foot gym on the site of a former Farmer Jack grocery store that closed in 2007 on Seven Mile, west of Middlebelt.

According to the company's website, the Seven Mile gym becomes the 17th LA Fitness in metro Detroit. Altogether, the company has about 700 gyms, mostly in the United States, but also some in Canada.

Livonia Chamber of Commerce President Dan West said the new LA Fitness is a welcome addition to the Seven Mile-Middlebelt area, which already has seen significant new commercial development with the Livonia Marketplace shopping area.

"No doubt about it, it's good when you see a spot that has stood empty for 11 years (get redeveloped)," he said, saying redevelopment in the Seven Mile-Middlebelt corridor "is all positive stuff."

"LA Fitness plays into that," West said.

He said fitness centers, coupled with the Jack E. Kirksey Livonia Community Recreation Center, the Livonia Family YMCA and 1,300 acres of park land and nature space, help Livonia stand out for its parks and recreation offerings.

"I think one of the reasons Livonia is doing well in the real estate market is because of our parks and recreation offerings," West said.

Meanwhile, during the LA Fitness tour, Baker pointed out other amenities that, while not unique to that facility, still make it attractive to new members, she said.

Workout machines such as treadmills are equipped with 19-inch TVs, compared to 15-inch TVs at many other LA Fitness gyms.

A separate "spin room" includes workout bikes.

The gym has a supervised children's play area for parents on the go. It is supervised 8 a.m. to noon and 4-8 p.m.

It has a 25-yard pool that is 3½ feet deep from one end to the other, with temperatures controlled at 82-84 degrees. The area also has separate saunas for men and women and a shared hot tub.

For patrons with disabilities, the gym has handicapped accessible cardio equipment and pool accessibility using robotic chairs.

In a move to be environmentally friendly, the gym has natural skylights and LED lighting. LA Fitness also is a paperless company, Baker said.

Near the free-weight area, the gym also has a personal training area for patrons who want guidance to maximize their workout efforts.

It has a basketball court that Baker said is typically more popular during colder months.

For more on LA Fitness and its pricing, go to www.lafitness.com, call 734-772-9590 or stop by the facility at 29659 Seven Mile.

Contact Darrell Clem at dclem@hometownlife.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CantonObserver.